Little golden retriever puppies are too adorable that you may want to bring them home early, but at the same time, you may wonder if it’s the right decision. We extensively researched for you to ensure you pick up your puppy when it’s in their best interest.
Golden retriever puppies shouldn’t be separated from their mother before 8 weeks of age as they need to develop socially, physically, and physiologically by living with their mother and littermates. Otherwise, they may develop serious behavioral and personality problems down the road.
In this article, we’ll discuss the consequences of separating pups from their mum and litter too early and also if they stay with them for too long, the legal limitations, and more to ensure you maintain a healthy and happy relationship with your dog in years to come.
When Can Golden Retriever Puppies Live Without Their Mother?
According to AKC, puppies should leave their mother between 8 and 10 weeks of age. Before 8 weeks, your little one is going through a significant developmental process mentally and physically.
During this time, they need both mother and littermates to go through this process successfully. Once they are 8 weeks old, they will have learned a lot from their mum and littermates and will be open to new experiences and environments.
Suppose you separate the golden retriever puppy before they are 8 weeks old. In that case, you will hinder their development, and they will start having behavioral problems, which will adversely impact their future life.
What to Expect at 8 Weeks from Puppies?
Now that you have a clear answer to your question, “what is the best age for a puppy to leave its mother”, it’s essential to know what happens to puppies at 8 weeks to keep your expectations clear.
At this age, they usually start craving human attention and may be quite playful. They don’t need to look for their mother or even littermates frequently as they become more independent. They start having better control of their bladder and bowels at this stage.
In addition, they should be on a solid diet by now. They can also remember where and when they are fed, which behaviors aren’t acceptable, and the basic commands, so you can even start housetraining them.
RECOMMENDED READING: How to Potty Train a Golden Retriever Puppy? (10 Easy Steps)
What Happens If Puppies Are Separated From Their Mother Too Early?
Separating your golden retriever puppy from their mother and siblings before they are 8 weeks old means they will miss out on important lessons that must have been learned from them.
Even if their mother passed away, they shouldn’t be separated from their littermates. Here are reasons why you shouldn’t separate puppies from their mother too early.
1. Touch Tolerance
You need to touch your canine companion in order to inspect them for any health reasons as well as to groom them.
Puppies get clawed, pawed, and climbed over from their littermates all the time. This makes them tolerant of touches, and they don’t have any issues getting touched since they have become used to it.
When puppies are separated from their mum and littermates too young, they don’t experience this and may become “touch-aggressive”.
2. Behavior Problems
Primary socialization in puppies begins when they are about 3 weeks old. It is the most important phase of their life regarding social behavior patterns and learning and can last until they are 5 weeks old.
During this period, puppies learn various important lessons from their mother and littermates, which will affect their future life. They are more open to learning and experimenting with new things and keep observing their mum as to how she responds to things and people and imitates her behavior.
All this is essential to make them feel confident and fearless. If puppies leave their canine family at a very young age, they may show behavior problems.
For example, they may feel frightened and anxious when their owner leaves them alone and may not be good at bonding with people.
RECOMMENDED READING: Anxiety in Golden Retrievers: Symptoms, Causes, & Solutions
Research indicates that dogs separated from the litter earlier showed more problematic behaviors like excessive barking, attention-seeking, reactivity to noises, and toy & food possessiveness.
RELATED: Why Do Golden Retrievers Bark So Much?
3. Bite Inhibition
Bite inhibition is a behavior that puppies learn to control the strength of their bite by living with their mother and littermates.
When puppies play with their canine family, they grab their face, tails, and legs. If the bite is too hard, they may cry out in response or stop playing with them. The mother dog may even gently correct the little one.
In addition, when the puppy gets bitten by their littermates, they understand how painful the bite is. They keep getting continuous feedback and learning to make their bite softer.
This is what a puppy learns with their canine family when they are young. If they are separated from them too early, they won’t be able to know how to control the strength of their bite.
This means that you may have to deal with a puppy who bites very hard. Teaching them to control their bite may even be harder for you.
RELATED: Do Golden Retrievers Attack Humans?
4. Discipline
The dog mother keeps her little ones disciplined by “forcing” them to listen to her by not paying attention to their whining. This way, puppies learn that their actions come with consequences and that they need to listen to their mother.
Learning this at a young age makes puppies more obedient and well-behaved in front of their owners. When taken away from their mother too soon, they may be hard to control and train and not follow instructions.
5. Communication with Dogs
When puppies live with their canine family, they learn the way dogs communicate with each other. Whether it’s body language or vocalizations, pups learn to play and interact with them appropriately and safely.
If the puppy is taken away from their mum and littermates too early, they have difficulty understanding other dogs’ behavior and can become socially awkward.
In addition, since they don’t know how to act with other puppies and dogs, they may get negative reactions from other dogs and feel left out.
6. Digestive Issues
Puppies’ digestive system is still developing as they are growing. They also have lower digestive tolerance as compared to adult dogs.
Moreover, having to leave their canine family too early can lead to psychological stress, and stress can cause diarrhea in puppies.
Therefore, bringing puppies home at such a young age can make them feel unwell.
7. Transition from Milk to Solid Food (Weaning)
Many people ponder how long should a puppy feed for. Since newborn puppies’ immune system is developing, immunity is passively transferred through colostrum, which is necessary for survival in their first few weeks.
Dog mothers keep producing milk for up to 10 weeks. In addition to fulfilling nutritional needs for long-term health, puppies may also suckle for comfort and bonding.
According to The Kennel Club, pups may transition from milk to solid food from around 3 weeks of age till around 7 to 8 weeks.
If puppies are brought home earlier, they aren’t given adequate time to happily transition themselves, leading to anxiety and insecurities later in life, not to mention poor nutrition.
Consider the Legal Limitations
Some people wonder if is it illegal to sell puppies before 8 weeks. Here’s what you must know.
Many states require puppies to be at least 8 weeks old before they are offered for sale. Other states like Illinois focus on the minimum age of the puppy when they can be separated from their mother, which is not until they are 8 weeks old.
The laws apply only to retail pet stores, pet dealers, or pet breeders in many states. On the other hand, around 15 of the 28 states make it illegal for any individual to sell an underage puppy.
When buying or adopting a puppy, make sure you’re making a decision based on the best interest of your pooch, and you shouldn’t encourage the illegal selling of puppies in any way.
Is It Okay for Puppies to Stay With Their Mother for Too Long?
Most future pet owners ask, “Can puppies leave mother at 7 weeks or earlier?”, to which the answer is clear. Your golden retriever puppy shouldn’t leave their mum before they are 8 weeks old.
However, it’s also important to know how long it is okay for puppies to stay with their mother as you need to properly socialize them for the future environments they will be living in.
A study conducted by Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports suggest that properly socialized puppies engage in more positive social behavior with humans when they become adults.
Otherwise, puppies who stay for too long with their mum and littermates may develop dominant or submissive behaviors later in life, leading to other problems.
Here is why puppies shouldn’t stay too long with their mother and littermates.
1. No More Benefits of Staying with Littermates
Before your golden retriever puppy turns 8 weeks old, they learn from their mother and littermates everything they need to to ensure they aren’t socially awkward or have behavioral issues.
Once they are 8 weeks old, there’s not much benefit for them to stay with their canine family as they have already learned what they should.
2. Need to Learn New Environments for the Future
The socialization period in puppies starts at the age of 3 weeks (primary socialization) and continues till they are 12 to 14 weeks old. During this period, your puppy needs to be gently and safely introduced to new environments, objects, and people, so they can interact with them in the future without feeling anxious or fearful.
Until they are 8 weeks old (or older), this responsibility will be on the breeder, which is then passed to you when you take them home with you. All the benefits your pup has gained through early socialization, you should maintain in the future life too.
Considering that your golden retriever puppy can leave their mum when they are 8 weeks old and their socialization period lasts between 12 and 14 weeks of age, you should bring them home while making sure you have sufficient time to socialize them and take advantage of this period properly.
So, if you bring an 8-week-old puppy home, you will have enough time (till 12 to 14 weeks) to properly socialize them by meeting them with new people and visiting as many places as possible. If you wait till 11 weeks, you will have little time.
Fear Period during Socialization
You should note that your puppy may go through fear periods twice in their life. 1st one is at 8-11 weeks, and the other at 6-14 months. During this period, what seemed “normal” to a puppy before may suddenly make them anxious or frightened.
However, you shouldn’t fret as this is a totally normal part of your puppy’s development, but you should be extra careful with them when socializing in the fearful period as you don’t want to traumatize them for life with a single scary event.
When you bring your golden retriever pup home for the first time, it will most likely coincide with their 1st fear period (between 8 and 11 weeks). You should work with them to overcome their fears and not leave them alone during this period.
Don’t force or pressure them to meet new people or have new experiences. Make sure they are as comfortable as possible and don’t forget to reward them with treats even if they, say, came closer to an object that frightened them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is 6 weeks too early for a puppy?
Puppies shouldn’t leave their mother at 6 weeks as they need time to grow and develop, so it’s better to wait until they are 8 weeks old. Otherwise, they may experience developmental and socialization problems and various health issues.
2. Do puppies feel sad when they leave their mom?
Yes, puppies feel sad when they leave their mom and littermates since they are being separated from the only family that they have ever known. As a result, they may cry, howl, bark, and want to stay closer to you. You should give them proper attention and establish a routine to help them adjust to their new home.
3. How long do puppies drink milk from their mother?
Puppies may start experimenting with solid food at 3 weeks of age. Most puppies completely switch to solid food around 7 to 8 weeks, but they keep drinking milk from their mother for nutrition and bonding in the meantime.
Conclusion
The best age to get a puppy from breeder is when they are 8 weeks old. Separating a golden retriever puppy earlier from their mother and littermates than this can lead to psychological, physiological, and social problems later in life since they won’t have learned communication, appropriate behaviors, and discipline from them.